John Buck
John's Club Report
Covering The Pensacola Hawg Hunters
2005 Season

Email: John Buck

Founded In 1975

Lake Martin
Total Fish Caught 104
Total Dead Fish 0
Total Limits 14
Big Fish
6.75
Total Fish Weight 147.05 lbs

Total Year Standings
Total Fish Caught 353
Total Dead Fish 0
Total Limits 37
Big Fish
8.25
Total Fish Weight 540.40 lbs
Place Name Fish Weight
1. Brian Metcalf 10 20.20
2. Rich Renner 8 17.15
3. Rich Carnelius 10 14.85
4. Ron Fairbanks 8 12.55
5. Pete Potter 10 12.00
6. Fred Raby 8 11.85
7. Wayne Thomley 10 11.35
8. Mack Cramer 10 11.05


*** Tournament Winner ***

Brian Metcalf
10 Fish - 20.20 lbs

Also Fished
Ken Repine
Place Name Fish Weight
9. Frank Kelly 7 9.00
10. Dave Dyess 7 8.05
11. John Buck 5 6.70
12. Jim Bailey Sr 4 4.35
13. Paul Sullivan 2 2.90
14. Dewayne kembro 2 2.55
15. C. J. Garrison 3 2.50

PENSACOLA HAWG HUNTERS
TOURNAMENT REPORT
APRIL 23-24, 2005


Lake Martin was the site for our April tournament. We launched out of Wind Creek State Park. We had eight boats and 16 fishermen. On Friday before the tournament a front packing lots of lightning, rain, and even some hail pushed through the area. With the passing front came high blue skies and winds which blew at 20-30 mph all day both days. The water was pretty clear below Wind Creek in the main lake and had a light stain in the wind creek area. Water temps ranged from the mid to upper 60's.
Needless to say the main lake and really any open water areas were very rough.

Rich Renner was my partner for the weekend. We started out on some rocky points near Manoy Creek early Saturday morning. Right away I hooked up with a good fish on a chug bug. It turned out to be a 5-6 lb striper.
We worked the area for another half hour and caught 8-9 more stripers and a couple of small spots but no keepers. We then made a run to a cove I like to fish. It was a real fun ride into the face of 25 mph winds and 3 foot waves, but we made it without too much problem.

We started fishing crank baits and I hooked up with a 2 lb LM. Then everything just got really slow. We managed to pick up a lot of fish all around the secondary coves and points with a variety of lures, t rigs, c rigs, cranks, and even a shad puppy. Near mid day we did have some action as we were fishing a ledge in about 25 feet of water. Rich decided that he would test his skills at freeing a hung crank bait and fell overboard as a wave rocked the boat. Two rods went over with him but he managed to grab them both before they sank. With a heave and tug I helped him back into the boat. I always carry a large towel and a spare set of emergency clothes. He dried off and was soon fishing again. We wound up the day with 3 keepers each. His weighing 3.15 lbs. and mine weighing 4.85 lbs. A very slim showing for sure.

At the scales on Saturday, several guys came in with good bags of fish. Rich Cornelius took the early lead with just over 11 lbs. Brian Metcalf had a bag with just over 11 lbs also. Rich Cornelius had the big fish for Saturday weighing in at 3.65 lbs. Rich C., Ron, Dave, Brian, Mac, Wayne and Pete all had limits on Saturday.
The stage was set for Sunday with frosty temps and another day of 20 mph winds.

Saturday evening the club served fried chicken, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, and rolls. We all had a good time sitting around the pool area and shooting the breeze about the stories of the day.

Sunday morning we awoke to find a light frost and temps in the upper 30's. Combine that with the high winds and the day ahead looked tough.

Renner and I started out in the area we finished the day before as we had a little action just before the weigh in. Right away Rich hooked up with a nice 2 lb spot on a crank bait and I caught 2 non keepers. We decided to try the main lake points to see if the spots were there only to find the area still over run with stripers and white bass. Soon we were on the way back to our original area. We decided to stop and fish some more coves on the way back and Rich hooked up with a nice 2 lb spot on crank bait again while I caught the short fish. Another 15 minutes down the bank and he catches a nice 2 lb LM on a shad puppy and I catch a keeper on a puppy also. We were fishing log jams and tree tops in the coves. We then left for another cove where I soon caught a short fish and Rich pulled out a toad weighing 6.75 lbs. These came on white shad puppies also. We continued the day fishing this pattern and Rich managed to fill his limit with one more keeper. It was bad enough that I couldn't catch keepers but my trolling motor started acting up about mid morning and with the wind it was a most frustrating day for me, at least I was able to keep my partner in the boat and he managed to catch a 14 lb bag while I could only manage 1 keeper for 1.85 lbs. Who said the non-boater is at a disadvantage?

At the scales Rich Cornelius, Rich Renner, Brian Metcalf, Mac Cramer, Fred Raby, Wayne Thomley, and Pete Potter brought limits to the scales. Rich Renner with his 14 lb bag led the day anchored by the daily lunker at 6.75 lbs. The final results were 1st place Brian Metcalf with 20.20 lbs, 2nd place Rich Renner with 17 lbs, 3rd place Rich Cornelius 14.85 lbs, and 4th place Ron Fairbanks with 12.55 lbs.

This tournament netted 3 nominations for the "Slammer Award". Rich Renner for falling overboard while trying to get a crank bait unhung and Jim Bailey Sr and Dwayne Kimbro for not knowing that the Sunday weigh in was as always at 1:00 PM. Somehow they thought it was at 2:00 PM, and came to the scales an hour late and were DQ'd. I think at least one of them even had a limit!

Next month the Hawg Hunters visit Miller's Ferry for a one day adventure out of Ellis Landing.
This should be a great time to fish the Ferry so make your plans to be there.

"til next time*Keep Your hooks sharp!
Creek Chub

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